"Angels- 01 - A Season Of Angels" - читать интересную книгу автора (Macomber Debbie)

УI donТt know how to explain it,Ф Pam admitted slowly. УI think a part of the brain starts to deteriorate after so many years of dealing with diapers, bottles, and potty training. ItТs like youТre on the childrenТs level for so much of the day that you lose the ability to communicate with other adults.Ф
УAll this tells me is that you need to get away more often.Ф
УThatТs probably true,Ф Pam agreed, Уbut you wouldnТt believe the trouble it is to find a baby-sitter, especially on weekdays.Ф
УWhat about taking some time for yourself while the kids go down for their naps?Ф
Pam laughed softly as they headed toward the escalator. УNap time is like an oasis in the middle of the day. I treasure every moment of that hour, but lately even that timeТs been robbed from me. IТm sewing Scotty and Jason Batman pajamas and thatТs the only free time I have to do it.Ф
УBatman pajamas?Ф
УTheyТre crazy about him and Spiderman.Ф
УWhy donТt you sew in the evenings?Ф Leah suggested. It made perfect sense to her since the three were generally in bed by eight.
Pam laughed and shook her head. УBecause, my dear friend, IТm too pooped. Honestly, I head for bed no more than an hour after the kids. I never dreamed IТd be in bed before nine. Remember me, the original night owl? Trust me, kids will do that to you.Ф
A pang of envy struck Leah at the thought of her life being dominated by the demands of a houseful of children. Then again, the grass always appeared greener on the other side of the fence. More than once, Pam had said how much she envied Leah her freedom.
Freedom. True, she often had time on her hands, but for what?
УIТm on a budget, you know,Ф Pam complained when they reached NordstromТs second floor.
УWould you stop?Ф Leah demanded, laughing. УWe havenТt even gotten to the womenТs section yet and already youТre convinced you arenТt going to find anything.Ф
УMy old maternity dress isnТt all that bad.Ф
УPam!Ф Leah braced her hands against her hips and glared at her friend. УNow I understand why Doug insisted I go shopping with you. He knew darn good and well that youТd end up buying something for everyone else and nothing for yourself.Ф
УDid you see that darling pinafore,Ф Pam said, pointing toward the childrenТs section. УDiane would look like an angel dressed in that.Ф
Leah looped her arm through PamТs and steered her in the opposite direction. УIТll tell you what IТm going to do.Ф
УWhat? Hog-tie me and force me to try on several dresses?Ф
УClose. IТm taking you directly to the dressing room and bringing the party dresses in to you.Ф
PamТs shoulders sagged with defeat as they entered the dressing room area. УAll right, just try to find something reasonably priced, will you?Ф Leah opened the white louvered door and gently pushed her friend inside.
Pam stuck out her hand and waved her index finger. УCheck on the sale rack first. IТll feel better about spending so much money on myself if the dress is discounted.Ф
УNever you mind,Ф Leah argued. УIТm not even going to let you look at the price tag.Ф
УBut, LeahЧФ
УDonТt even try to argue with me. IТd have thought youТd know better by now.Ф Smiling to herself, Leah left the dressing room.
УMy hips arenТt nearly as slender as they used to be either,Ф Pam called after her. УYouТd better start with a size twelve instead of a ten .а.а. better make that a fourteen.Ф
Leah stopped long enough to roll her eyes, then headed for a rack of newly arrived fashions. It took less than five minutes to find a wide selection that would suit her friend.
а
УMercy, where are you?Ф Goodness called, frantically circling NordstromТs like the second hand of a clock gone berserk.
Mercy turned around to find Goodness, her wings all aflutter, breezing six feet off the ground, close to a state of panic.
УI need to talk to you right away,Ф Goodness said breathlessly.
УOver here,Ф Mercy called, wondering what could possibly have gone wrong so quickly. УIТm on the light fixture.Ф
Goodness soared to her side, rustling the dress display and toppling a mannequin. Apparently feeling guilty, she scooped up the lifeless form and set it back into place, to the horror of a sales clerk, who gasped and placed her hand over her heart to watch a lifeless form right itself.
УGoodness,Ф Mercy shouted. УWould you stop before you get us both into trouble?Ф
УI need help,Ф Goodness blurted out for the second time, joining Mercy, who was dangling from the light fixture.
УSo soon? You just received the assignment. What could have possibly gone wrong?Ф
Goodness, who was easily flustered, looked helpless and confused. She cast a pleading look at Mercy. УI knew I was in way over my head when Gabriel first gave me this assignment, but I wanted to help Monica Fischer. You know IТm a sucker for romance, and finding her a husband didnТt sound as if it would be the least bit difficult.Ф She stopped long enough to draw in another deep breath. УNow the poor girlТs more confused than ever and IТm afraid itТs all my fault.Ф
УWhat happened?Ф
УNothing .а.а. well, obviously itТs something, but .а.а. oh, dear, IТm afraid IТve made a terrible mistake.Ф
УI take it this has something to do with finding Monica a husband?Ф
Goodness nodded energetically. УI found the most suitable young man who has a wonderful heart for God. He directs the choir and heТs half in love with her already.Ф
УThen whatТs the problem?Ф
УMonica isnТt the least bit excited about him. She has this dangerous attraction for that .а.а. that private eye. TheyТre completely incompatible. Why, a union between the two of them will never do, and I fear IТm the one responsible for them meeting.Ф
Mercy frowned. УGoodness, when will you ever learn?Ф
УMe!Ф Flustered, she wrung her hands and eyed her fellow angel. УYou donТt think I know that was you riding up and down the escalator just now?Ф
УYou couldnТt have known that was me.Ф
УLetТs just say I made an educated guess,Ф Goodness said confidently. УA womanТs being treated with smelling salts and two kids are telling everyone what they saw, and it sounds to me as if they were describing you. Who else do you know with long, blond hair, deep blue eyes, and magnificent wings? You know better than most that childrenТs spiritual eyes have yet to close. You were taking a terrible chance.Ф
УAh .а.а.Ф
УJust as I thought. Mercy, what are you going to do if Gabriel hears about this? You know he will eventually. Why, he could pull you off of this assignment in nothing flat and with good reason.Ф
УBut he wonТt,Ф Mercy said with utter confidence.
УHow can you be so sure?Ф